The present invention relates to tape recorders, and more particularly to a tape recorder having an inter-music (or inter-song) detecting function (hereinafter referred to as "a PMS function" when applicable) which can detect a part of a magnetic tape where nothing is recorded or between adjacent parts where music is recorded.
A tape recorder of this type has a PMS operation button in addition to an FF (fast-forward) operation button and a REW (rewinding) operation button. In Such a tape recorder, when the PMS operation is effected by operating the PMS operation button, the FF or REW operation button is operated to perform an FF or REW operation. If under the condition that the FF or REW operation is effected by operating the FF or REW operation button and the PMS operation button is operated to perform a PMS operation, the inter-music part of the tape will be detected during the FF or REW operation so that in response to the detection of the inter-music part the tape will stop at or the reproduction of the tape will start from the inter-music part.
Although the PMS operation button is operated together with the FF or REW operation button as described above, the PMS operation button 1 has been provided remote from the FF operation button 2 or the REW operation button 3 in the conventional tape recorder as shown in FIG. 1. Accordingly, it is necessary to separately operate the PMS operation button 1 and the FF operation button 2 or the REW operation button 3, which lowers the operability of the tape recorder.
Furthermore, it is necessary to manually operate the PMS operation button 1 to de-activate the PMS function. Accordingly, whenever only the FF or REW operation is required under the condition that the PMS function is activated, it is necessary to turn off the PMS operation button 1. This operation is troublesome and time-consuming. In addition to the above-described drawbacks, the conventional tape recorder suffers from a further difficulty in that, if the operator operates the FF or REW operation button without noticing the fact that the PMS function has been activated, then although only the FF or REW operation is required, the FF or REW operation will be halted during such an operation at inter-music intervals. That is, an erroneous operation occurs.
The invention is intended to eliminate the above-described drawbacks accompanying a conventional tape recorder. More specifically, an object of the invention to to provide a tape recorder in which the operability is improved, the operation thereof can be achieved readily and no erroneous operation occurs.